AFL 2021

[Jack the Stripper]

Agree with all your selections Z except I’m picking Hawthorn to beat Adelaide. That game has been moved to Melbourne as SA have gone into lockdown, not that that will matter too much as there won’t be a crowd allowed anyway but the Crows form has dropped off significantly to what they showed earlier in the season while the Hawks are coming off a competitive draw to the top of the ladder Demons.

[Zzzptm]

Power done in Collingwood, they did.

[Zzzptm]

Geelong is now just behind Bulldogs on the ladder. Haven't seen the highlights, but I've read the summary of their win over Richmond. This is exciting!

[Zzzptm]

Geelong's win was so convincing, they're now the favorites to win the Premiership this year. Things may change, but they're riding high right now.

My picks from Week 19:
Port Adelaide beats Collingwood
Carlton beats North Melbourne
Brisbane beats Gold Coast
West Coast beats St Kilda, although I'd love an upset by the Saints!
Adelaide beats Hawthorn
Melbourne beats Bulldogs - Melbourne only loses to teams in the bottom half!
Essendon beats GWS Giants - I expect Essendon to push hard for a top 8 spot
Geelong beats Richmond - and with that win, Geelong goes to the top of the ladder if Bulldogs tie with Melbourne, quite possibly.
Sydney beats Fremantle

I was wrong about Carlton - NM is showing a significant turn since their new coach stepped in. They may avoid winning the wooden spoon this year!
Also wrong about Melbourne - now they're losing to teams in the top half, time to worry if you're a Demons supporter. Top scorers are currently out or off their game, they need to find some answers soon.
GWS Giants also proved me wrong - Giants are the one to unseat for teams looking to move into the top 8. I still think Essendon can do it, but now it's down to how each team plays their last 4. Both have a similar difficulty in their schedule, so Essendon is going to have to win more hard games than GWS if it is going to make the top 8.

[Zzzptm]

Week 20 picks:

St. Kilda beats Carlton
Bulldogs beat Adelaide
Cats soundly defeat the Roos
Dees take down Gold Coast
West Coast edges Pies
Swans defeat the Bombers - I don't know if Essendon can top this side at this point in time.
Lions beat the Hawks
Power will beat GWS
Richmond gets a win v. Fremantle

[Zzzptm]

Well, St. Kilda did NOT beat Carlton... Blues took off with a big run-up in the second quarter, did not look back.

[Zzzptm]

I was very surprised to see Richmond take another fall. That team is in deep trouble. And the WC-Collingwood game that I thought would be close turned into a walk in the park for Collingwood, big win for them. Hawthorn beating Brisbane shows some problems in the Lions, and at the wrong time in the season! That sort of thing should have been sorted out earlier on!

So with that in mind, time to pick for the week ahead:

Geelong beats GWS. Very sure here.

Carlton showed strength last week, GC looked horrible. Carlton *should* win this one.

Richmond v North Melbourne... why do I get the feeling that the Roos have a chance here? Richmond's been that awful and NM has shown some promise, it might just happen.

Port Adelaide beats Plain Adelaide.

Sydney beats St. Kilda

I think Hawthorn beats Collingwood in a close game, should be interesting to watch.

Bulldogs beat Bombers

Fremantle beat Richmond, but I don't think Brisbane is that bad, so Brisbane over Fremantle.

Melbourne beats West Coast.

[Jack the Stripper]

Well I didn’t see that loss coming for Geelong. Were poor all night but somehow found themselves only 9 points down with a regulation shot from 20 metres to cut the margin to 3 points with 5 minutes left on the clock. But young Clarke badly missed and subsequently GWS then took the ball the length of the field from the kick in and scored a goal to put the game to bed. On top of that, Geelong picked up three key injuries to Dangerfield, Tuohy and Rohan.

[Zzzptm]

Lots of injuries for Geelong going into the game and several more coming out of it. Hopefully, the injuries heal up quickly and effectively and they're back to top form next week.

[Zzzptm]

Nice of the Bulldogs to also lose this week, keeps even with Geelong. And Melbourne's win today will put them back on top of the ladder.

[Jack the Stripper]

Looking like the Dees will win. The game had to be stopped early in the last qtr due to lightning. The first I can remember a game ever being stopped due to lightning.

The game has resumed after 29 minute delay and the Eagles are coming hard. 16 points down with 5 minutes remaining.

[Zzzptm]

That they did do, and now there are 2 games left in the regular season.

Essendon could win out and GWS lose a game and we'd see a change at the bottom of the top 8. WC might lose vs Brisbane, but I don't think they'll lose to the Dockers, so they should be set in the top 8. With that in mind, though, they don't look good for the finals. Neither does Port Adelaide, barely getting by the Crows. Geelong, of course, needs to get healthy if it wants to go the distance... but it has a good shot of it, looks like.

[Zzzptm]

Week 22 pix:

Giants beat Richmond
Bulldogs beat Hawthorn
Geelong beat St. Kilda
Port beats Carlton
Brisbane beats Collingwood
Sydney beats North Melbourne
Melbourne beats Adelaide
Essendon beats Gold Coast
Fremantle beats West Coast unless West Coast beats Fremantle... WC has been real iffy of late... and I'm thinking of Bon Scott of late, which makes me root a little for Fremantle!

And as I typed "Bulldogs beat Hawthorn", I had a pause. With Hawthorn finding its way of late and injuries on the Bulldogs, we could see an upset here.

[Jack the Stripper]

I’m going with your picks and thoughts Z except I’m picking the Tigers to beat the Giants. I’m also leaning towards West Coast but a Freo win would not surprise at all.

Another danger game for the Cats but they’ll be bolstered with the return of Jeremy Cameron after 6 weeks out and a few more inclusions that missed last week. Dangerfield has also been passed fit to play after the blow to the throat and subsequent hospitalisation last week.

[Jack the Stripper]

Well I guess it’s all caught up with the battle wearied Tigers. Can’t say I’m not happy their dynasty has come to an end though